102nd Medium Battery, Royal Australian Artillery
Encyclopedia
The 102nd Medium Battery was an artillery battery
unit of the Royal Australian Artillery. The battery was formed in 1957, known as the 102nd Field Battery and served in the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation and the Vietnam War
before being disbanded in 1987.
, Sydney
as the 102nd Field Battery as part of the 1st Field Regiment
.
The battery served during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation between May and August 1965 and while in Malaysia the battery provided fire support during the Kesang River incursion by Indonesian forces. While serving in North Borneo
, equipped with L5 Pack Howitzer, the battery provided defensive support to the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
, Ghurkha, and British Regiments undertaking operations and also fire support for secret Claret operations in Indonesia
n territory.
On 18 April 1966, the battery was transferred to the 12th Field Regiment with the 104th Field Battery
. Arriving in Vietnam as part of Australia's commitment to the Vietnam War in March 1968, replacing the 106th Field Battery
and was equipped with the 105mm M2A2 Howitzer. On the night of 12 May 1968, while at Fire Support Base Coral
, a M2A2 howitzer was captured by North Vietnamese troops who temporarily overran part of the base, however the gun was recaptured shortly afterwards.The M2A2 howitzer captured by the North Vietnamese Army is on display at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. The 102nd Field Battery was replaced in February 1969, and returned to Australia. During its tour of duty the battery had been positioned at 30 different Fire Support Bases, fired 60,000 rounds and received the following decorations: 1 MM
, 2 MID, 1 MBE and 1 BEM
.
The battery became part of the 8th/12th Medium Regiment
in November 1973 and in 1983 after being re-equipped with the M198 155mm howitzer was redesignated 102nd Medium Battery before being disbanded in 1987.
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
unit of the Royal Australian Artillery. The battery was formed in 1957, known as the 102nd Field Battery and served in the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation and the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
before being disbanded in 1987.
History
Formed in 1957 at Holsworthy BarracksHolsworthy Barracks
Holsworthy Barracks is located in the outer south-western Sydney suburb of Holsworthy. It is part of the Holsworthy military reserve, which has been a training area and artillery range for the Australian Army since World War I. Following World War II it became a major base for the permanent...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
as the 102nd Field Battery as part of the 1st Field Regiment
1st Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
The 1st Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery is a close support regiment attached to the 7th Brigade at Enoggera Barracks in Queensland. The unit was formed in 1914 under the name 1st Australian Field Artillery Brigade, part of 1st Division Artillery during World War I and later served in World War...
.
The battery served during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation between May and August 1965 and while in Malaysia the battery provided fire support during the Kesang River incursion by Indonesian forces. While serving in North Borneo
North Borneo
North Borneo was a British protectorate under the sovereign North Borneo Chartered Company from 1882 to 1946. After the war it became a crown colony of Great Britain from 1946 to 1963, known in this time as British North Borneo. It is located on the northeastern end of the island of Borneo. It is...
, equipped with L5 Pack Howitzer, the battery provided defensive support to the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment is a parachute infantry battalion of the Australian Army, based in Sydney. 3 RAR was initially formed in 1945 as the 67th Battalion and has seen active service in Japan, Korea, Malaya, South Vietnam, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and Iraq...
, Ghurkha, and British Regiments undertaking operations and also fire support for secret Claret operations in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n territory.
On 18 April 1966, the battery was transferred to the 12th Field Regiment with the 104th Field Battery
104th Field Battery, Royal Australian Artillery
The 104 Field Battery, Royal Australian Artillery was formed in the town of Moascar in Egypt during March 1916 as the 104th Field Artillery Battery, part of 4th Field Artillery Brigade. The battery was disbanded, reformed and rerolled many times during its history...
. Arriving in Vietnam as part of Australia's commitment to the Vietnam War in March 1968, replacing the 106th Field Battery
106th Field Battery, Royal Australian Artillery
The 106th Field Battery was an artillery battery unit of the Royal Australian Artillery. The battery was formed in 1966 and served two tours during the Vietnam War before being disbanded.-History:...
and was equipped with the 105mm M2A2 Howitzer. On the night of 12 May 1968, while at Fire Support Base Coral
Fire support base coral
The Battle of Coral–Balmoral was a series of actions fought during the Vietnam War between the 1st Australian Task Force and the North Vietnamese 7th Division and Viet Cong, north-east of Saigon...
, a M2A2 howitzer was captured by North Vietnamese troops who temporarily overran part of the base, however the gun was recaptured shortly afterwards.The M2A2 howitzer captured by the North Vietnamese Army is on display at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. The 102nd Field Battery was replaced in February 1969, and returned to Australia. During its tour of duty the battery had been positioned at 30 different Fire Support Bases, fired 60,000 rounds and received the following decorations: 1 MM
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
, 2 MID, 1 MBE and 1 BEM
British Empire Medal
The Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Meritorious Service, usually known as the British Empire Medal , is a British medal awarded for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown...
.
The battery became part of the 8th/12th Medium Regiment
8th/12th Medium Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
The 8th/12th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, was formed at the Holsworthy Barracks on 16 November 1973 through amalgamation of the 8th Medium Regiment and the 12th Field Regiment . The Regiment provides field artillery support to the 1st Brigade based in Darwin...
in November 1973 and in 1983 after being re-equipped with the M198 155mm howitzer was redesignated 102nd Medium Battery before being disbanded in 1987.